Unfortunately steroid abuse is only one of the many health debilitating factors inherent to the professional wrestling lifestyle. Below the most prominent of these factors are discussed.
Travel
Ask any business traveler how grueling regular travel is and all will quickly exclaim: very! And remember, these business road warriors are not being body slammed and stomped by 300 lb. individuals on a nightly basis during their trips! Wrestling performers are constantly moving around the country and the world (the WWE has regular tours to Europe and on at least two occasions that I’m aware of the company staged shows on army bases in Iraq) plying their trade. This relentless travel grinds down the athletes both mentally and physically, subjecting them to early flights after late shows, frequent time changes, sleep depravation, airplane meals, and cramped seating (remember even the smaller wrestlers are well above average size and fitting them comfortably into conventional airplane seats is an impossibility). In addition to the events themselves, which most performers arrive well before the opening bell to discuss specifics of their matches, finishes, etc., wrestlers must find time (and energy) on the road to workout, eat well, and attend promotional events. It is true that house shows (non-televised wrestling events that take place in markets throughout the country) are not as prevalent as they once were before the days of pay-per-views and nationally televised weekly shows such as Raw and Smackdown, but the travel is still brutal, requiring wrestlers to be on the road for much of the week. And don’t forget what has happened over the past five years when it comes to air travel. The airways are much more congested, causing flight delays and cancellations; airlines have had numerous financial problems, leading to less amenities and comforts during flights; and airports, because of post 9-11 security measures, have began to resemble lines for popular rock concert tickets when they first go on sale.
Year-Round Sport
Imagine the Dallas Cowboys playing 52 games per year. How about the New York Yankees taking the field 300 times or so in a given season. Well, that’s pretty much what professional wrestlers are required to do year after year. Unlike baseball, football, basketball, or any other major or minor professional sport, wrestling is a year-round endeavor. There is no off season for wrestling performers. As such, it is virtually impossible for them to recover mentally and physically from the rigors of the circuit. Unfortunately, this has always been the case in the mat game. Money is king and the more pay-per-views, house shows, and cable and network television programs the more green that flows into the coffers of promoters. Regular exposure also pumps up merchandise sales, which can yield substantial income for both wrestlers and promoters alike. Without a reasonable amount of downtime, however, wrestlers are bound to overtrain their bodies, sustain injuries, and burnout their minds. Is it any wonder why these athletes turn to drugs to keep their fires burning? And if you were wondering, there appears to be no plans to lighten the professional wrestling circuit in order to help performers stay fresh. Promoters for their part just don’t have much of an incentive to decrease wrestler schedules. As you’ll read later in the article, the competition is so fierce for roster spots, especially in the WWE, there is always a wellspring of eager and available talent waiting in the wings to move in. Supply and demand is definitely not on the side of the wrestlers in the current climate.
Physical Demands
For decades, long before promoters, most prominently Vince McMahon, Jr., admitted that the outcomes of matches were predetermined, many hardcore wrestling fans and casual observers alike speculated that professional wrestling was “fake”. While these speculators have been proven right to some extent, the term “fake” can (and should) be hotly debated. The winners and losers of contests may very well be decided in advance, but the punishment these athletes take during matches (and sometimes during interviews!) is far from unreal. In fact, some of the stunts, which include multiple story falls from cages and ladders, chair shots, and top rope back flips onto ringside cement floors are perhaps more dangerous than legitimate fighting would be. The envelope is constantly being pushed in today’s brand of professional wrestling, as performers (with the encouragement from promoters) aspire to keep the ever demanding public interested. As such, injuries, many of them of the serious variety, are commonplace in the mat game. The possibility of injury in the ring is exacerbated by the fact wrestlers are called upon to perform numerous times per week. This breeds fatigue and loss of concentration, both of which can lead to injury in the ring (a tired, overtrained body is more likely to sustain injury; concentration loss in the squared circle can be devastating to both performers, as wrestlers are responsible for their opponents safety as well as their own during a match).
